Pushing Tri-X to 12800

by Larry Dressler

So how do you make Tri-X or any film go to a higher speed and still have shadows even if you have to go to ISO 12800 with it? Well it is not easy but then again it is not that hard. This is a method that will also still give you shadows and keep the highlights from blowing out.

You need to mix this up first: Super Soup*

6 ounces water
24 ml Dektol stock solution
8 ml HC-110 syrup (or 32 ml stock solution)
2 g ascorbic acid
1/2 tsp washing soda (sodium carbonate monohydrate)
2 g potassium bromide (optional) not needed unless your film is old
Water to make 8 fluid ounces.

*variant of original recipe by Donald Qualls

Development process:

Develop in Diafine for the normal 3+3.
Pour out developer and rinse in water for 2 minutes by filling and dumping the tank.
Next you put it in a bath of Rodinal 1+100 for 30 minutes. Agitate for 30 seconds then allow to rest undisturbed (stand development).
Pour out the developer
Add the Super soup. Agitate for 5 seconds, then one inversion every 3-5 minutes for 20-25 minutes
Pour out developer. Stop and fix as normal.

That is how you do it. Your speed is different for every film but this is the baseline. Yes you will see grain with 35mm, but not much more than you would see using a high speed film.